Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) such as Express Scripts, CVS Caremark, and Optum Rx accepted secret payments from opioid manufacturers, including Purdue Pharma. This led to a prioritization of profits over safety, contributing to widespread overprescribing during the opioid epidemic.
The PBMs’ deals, uncovered by The New York Times, incentivized them to keep opioids accessible despite mounting overdose deaths. Efforts to impose safety measures were delayed or limited to protect financial agreements.
Critics argue that PBMs failed to act responsibly while collecting billions of dollars, exacerbating the crisis. These secret payments had a devastating impact on public health and highlighted the need for greater transparency and accountability in the pharmaceutical industry.
Source: https://www.fingerlakes1.com/2024/12/17/opioid-crisis-worsened-by-secret-payments-to-pharmacy-middlemen